PwC and Grameen Philippines give joy to 87 families displaced by Yolanda

Seated (L-R) Corporate Responsibility Manager Edwin Padillo, the Barangay Captain, local DSWD head, Corporate Responsibility Leader and Assurance Partner Gina Detera, Chairman and Senior Partner Alex Cabrera, and Grameen Foundation's Cris Delgado.Standing (L-R) Assurance and Markets Director Allan Cao, Markets Senior Manager Rocky Saldajeno, two student interns of Grameen Foundation, two Grameen Foundation volunteers, Executive Assistant II Baby Bibat, Communications Officer Athenis Joy San Jose, Learning and Development Manager Ron Melendres, and Grameen Foundation's Leo Alforte. 

Our firm, together with Grameen Australia Philippines Foundation, Inc. (GAP) spread holiday cheers to the residents of La Isla Bonita de Salinas in Rosario, Cavite. PwC and GAP leaders and volunteers distributed special Noche Buena packs and sleeping mats to 87 families displaced by Typhoon Haiyan in the Visayas. Boxes of paracetamol and 2015 calendars donated by Assurance C client The Generics Pharmacy were also given.

In his brief speech to the residents, Chairman and Senior Partner Alex Cabrera said, "...tutulungan po namin kayo, kahit hindi naman po ito kasali sa aming trabaho. ...kahit hindi tayo nakakalayo, kahit hindi tayo nakakarating ng Tacloban, Leyte o Samar, makarating man lang tayo sa Cavite. (We will help you, even if this isn't part of our work. Even if we're not travelling far, such as to Tacloban, Leyte or Samar, we ought to be in Cavite.)

"Ngayon pong nakapunta ako dito, marami rin po akong mga kaibigang mga negosyante na taga-Cavite. Yayayain ko rin po sila na gumawa ng mga ganitong klase ng gawain para sa inyo. Sa ngayon po ay kahit mga ilan... makapagtaguyod din kami ng mga model houses, sa isang kondisyon po. Kailangan po tumulong kami sa pagpapako. (Now I've reached your place. I have several businessman-friends who are based in Cavite. I will ask them to do corporate responsibility activities here. We hope we can build a few model houses, but on one condition: allow us to help you build your houses.)

"Alam niyo, kapag nakikita po namin kayo, para pong nawawala ang sarili naming problema. Kasi ‘yung mga problema namin sa office, itinuturing ko rin na mabibigat, lalo't nakikita ko po kayo... kahit po gaano kabigat ang problema, maniwala po kayo't sa hindi, kayo po ang nakakapagbigay sa amin ng inspirasyon." (When we see you, our problems seem to disappear. While I consider our problems at work to be difficult, seeing you deal with your own difficulties is already inspiring for us.)

The residents are from areas hit by Typhoon Haiyan last year. They were given a choice of boarding the cargo planes to Villamor Airbase in Pasay City. They were relocated at the former public beach resort of La Isla Bonita de Salinas, where the local government of Rosario granted them residency.

Also present during the gift-giving were Assurance Partner and Corporate Responsibility Leader Gina Detera, Assurance and Markets Director Allan Cao, Learning & Development Manager Ron Melendres, Corporate Responsibility Manager Edwin Padillo, Markets Senior Manager Rocky Saldajeno, Executive Assistant II Baby Bibat, and Communications Officer Joy San Jose.

Leading the GAP team, which also gave gifts to the children, was their Project Director Cris Delgado. GAP also gave the PwC team a tour of the resettlement area and showed the community’s livelihood products.

Representatives from the local government and the Municipal Social Welfare office graced the activity as well.

Contact us

Edwin Padillo

Markets Senior Manager, PwC Philippines

Tel: +63 (2) 8845 2728